


Phantom

by hataru



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Norse Religion & Lore, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Loki Wins, Body Worship, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Comfort Sex, Dimension Travel, Dom Loki (Marvel), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Is Alive, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fix-It, Frigga (Marvel) Lives, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Sex, Goddesses, Infinity Gems, Jotunn Loki (Marvel), Loki & Peter Parker Friendship, Loki Posing as Odin, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Odin (Marvel)'s A+ Parenting, Oral Sex, Pietro Maximoff Lives, Post-Thor (2011), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Praise Kink, Protective Thor (Marvel), References to Norse Religion & Lore, Reincarnation, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Sub Loki (Marvel), Temporary Character Death, Time Travel, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 08:42:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18937426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hataru/pseuds/hataru
Summary: The end was devastating.It was madness, taking and destroying everything they ever cared about. All their dreams, their hopes and their lives―gonewith the snap of his fingers. But she would not let it happen, not ever. And if she wished to save them all, she needed a game changer. The key to their salvation.The god with a silver tongue.





	1. Game Changer

**Author's Note:**

> in this house we do not acknowledge anything that happened during or after civil war

The God of Mischief was much more than he let on. He's clever, cunning and he's underestimated― the total opposite of the god of thunder; who is more braun than brains, loud and impulsive. Loki, the lesser prince, the second option, the wicked one, the snake with a silver tongue.

Everything came crashing down when the truth became known. Loki was Laufey's son. It all made sense now. The look in his mother's eyes, the favoritism, the shunning, _everything_. Even his father's decision made sense to him now.

He had never been a candidate for the throne. He never stood a chance against Thor― the blood son, the eldest, the rightful heir, the _worthy_ one. What was that in Odin's eye? Was that pity? The old fool _pitied_ him.

The Allfather had made a great mistake if he pitied him, the god of lies and mischief. He didn't want anyone's pity. Much less from Odin and his _son_. A son who would take what he did not deserve― what _Loki_ deserves. The throne of Asgard.

Asgard would be damned the moment Thor sat on the throne. The imbecile only knew how to charge blindly into battle and paint the battlefield in blood and gore. He knew not of thinking, of measuring and waiting. Because of this, Loki was doing them a favor.

With his silver tongue, he deceived Thor once more, with unsurprising ease. The God of Thunder went and got himself banished, a blow to Odin's pride. Soon, with the Allfather in the Odinsleep, Loki had ceased the throne and ruled over Asgard. He had everything he ever wanted. No one looked down upon him now. He was the first choice, the leader, the _king_.

But all good things never last, do they?

His plans to get rid of the inconvenience that called itself his brother were foiled. The damned oaf proved himself "worthy" and Loki was second best once more. He would not go through that any longer, he _could not_.

"I could have done it, Father!" Loki cried out from deep within the depths of his despair, dangling above a seemingly endless abyss. "I could have done it! For _you_! For all of us!" He looked up at the man he had known as his father for all his life until mere months ago. Loki knew he looked beyond pathetic ― begging as desperately as he was ― but he had to know. He had to know if he _mattered_.

The Allfather was quiet, a somber look in his eye. And the hope that once filled Loki's heart vanished the moment he opened his mouth. "No, Loki." Odin spoke quietly― _apologetically_.

Of course, he was choosing his son. Not the Jotunn child he saved out of pity. Loki understood now, he would never be good enough in Odin's eye. He wasn't an Odinson, he never was. Loki swallowed thickly, looking into Thor's eyes as he felt all that anger and resentment stir to life inside him, burning brightly and just **consuming**.

"Loki, _no_." Thor pleaded the moment he saw the look in his eyes. Felt the way Loki loosened his grip. Loki grit his teeth, looking at Odin once more as he took a steadying breath―

_**And he let go.** _

Thor's screams followed him in his decent. Loki would never be the second choice again. If he could not have the crown here―

_Then he'd have it somewhere else._

 

 

* * *

 

 

Time is at hand.

  
It ticks away and the Titan is coming.

He ― who calls himself _**inevitable**_ ― comes to leave death, destruction and despair at his wake. They will try to stop him, but they will fail. One will die for his brother, another will die by the hand of he who claims to love her, a child will die in the arms of the one he cared for as a father, and others ― many, _many_ others ― will die with the knowledge of utter **defeat**.

They would all fall.

And if she truly wished to save them ― save them from all this hurt they could not stop by themselves ― then she had to go back. Back to where it all began to take place. Not quite the beginning, but to the point where any decision was _critical_ ― essential for any factor than could somehow change the outcome.

She must stop this, stop this _madness_ from ever occurring. With this knowledge ― the knowledge of the Titan's origins, his desires and his puppets ― she _would_ ** _not_** sit back and watch it unfold with a sick sense of amusement like many of her brethren. She had to find him and she would save him, the factor that would change the game's end.

And as she marched into the hospital, down the halls with clicking heels and a strong sense of will, she met the key to finding that factor in the form of confused blue eyes and a mess of blonde hair. The first son of Odin would lead her to it, to _him_.

**Loki Laufeyson.**


	2. Mischief and Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She would have even said he looked angelic, if not for the fact that he'd successfully managed to kill over eighty people in less than forty-eight hours. 
> 
> She settled for _otherworldly._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the avengers start to assemble, 2012

 

_Her heels clicked against_ _the floor in a constant rhythm as she made her way down the white halls. Brown eyes peered through black rimmed glasses, pink lips spread into an almost mischievous smile that displayed pearly whites. With grace, she pushed the doors open to come upon the confined god._

_Odin's firstborn son was bound by his limbs to the bed, his hair spread messily like a golden halo around his bead. His blue eyes ― murky and wild in rage, not unlike a thunderstorm ― landed on her form, his lips twisting into a snarl._

_"Untie me, woman!" His booming voice commanded, loud in the enclosed space of the room._

_Her eyebrows rose at his tone, mildly surprised at his volume. She glanced at the door, checking if someone had become curious to see what the ruckus was about. Seeing no one, the brunette took off the glasses resting on the bridge of her nose, tossing them to the side._

_"We're a bit late," She commented while gesturing to the golden watch around her wrist and advancing towards the unwilling patient. She hooked one of her fingers around the black material of the strap and gave a small tug, the whole thing becoming undone in torn ribbons along with the other three._

_Thor stared down at his freed limbs, then back at her. His eyebrows furrowed together, thunderstorm eyes now more of a soft blue ― confused ― his mouth agape._

_"Thor." Talia snapped her fingers in front of his face, "There's not much time before they come looking for you. Get up and go." She said, ushering him towards the exit as he clumsily rose to his feet._

_She guided him outside, swiftly maneuvering his lumbering form through lonely halls until they reached the exit. Before she could push him out the door, he grabbed on to the frame, stubbornly turning in her grip to stare down at her._

_"Who are you?" Thor demanded rather than asked, his tone speaking highly of his current arrogance. That would disappear soon, she recalled fondly._

_A smile curled at her lips, "I'm Talia. We'll be seeing each other again, I'll explain then." She gave him a nudge towards the parking lot, "Promise."_

_Thor gave a reluctant nod, stepped out of the hospital―_

_And got hit by a car._

 

 

* * *

 

 

She found him in Stuttgart, Germany.

The luminescent lights from the chandeliers above bounced off his skin, giving it a nice glow. His dark hair was slicked back, the ends curling stubbornly around his shoulders. He was dressed elegantly, lacking colors aside from the green scarf with accents of gold hanging from his neck.

The scepter was disguised as a cane, rather innocent looking despite the stone it carried. Loki walked with grace, the ends of his coat swishing behind him much like the robes he often wore. She would have even said he looked angelic, if not for the fact that he'd successfully managed to kill over eighty people in less than forty-eight hours.

She settled for _otherworldly_.

Her eyes met icy blue just then, the color disappointing her just a tad. She saw him take her in― the long red dress that teased the skin of her legs, the long brown curls draped over her shoulders and the mischievous smile tugging at her red lips.

She raised her glass of champagne at him in response, finding herself flattered when a grin spread across his lips. He tipped his head at her in acknowledgement and watched intently as she took a sip from the flute, unashamed.

Talia personally preferred emerald instead of that chilling blue when it came to his eyes, but she'd have to bear with it until the problem was fixed. And, as if hearing her impatient thoughts, Loki chose that moment to strike a man over the head with his cane.

"Oh, _shit_." She hissed, downing the rest of her drink before tossing the empty flute aside as the guests screamed and scattered like ants.

Talia gathered her skirts and rushed towards the exits, taking a moment to look over her shoulder. Wild blue met brown again, an absolutely _wicked_ smile on Loki's lips as he punctured the man's eye. How charming.

She joined the mass of frightened civilians, barely avoiding getting stepped on. The God of Mischief joined them soon enough, now adorning his signature helm and Asgardian armor. He stood ― tall and glorious ― while the scepter glowed brightly in his hand, pulsing with energy.

It was moving a bit faster than she had anticipated, she noted as copies of Loki started rounding up the people like cattle. That meant that Agent Barton had his hands on the iridium Doctor Selvig needed. Alright, everything was going accordingly then.

"Kneel before me." Loki commanded unanimously with his clones, striding forwards. "I said," He hissed when the crowd watched him fearfully, unmoving, " _Kneel!_ " He screamed ― his voice booming and frightening ― as he and his copies slammed the scepter down.

Talia joined the people, carefully kneeling down while gazing at the god. She could stop him if she do wished, but she'd much rather listen to his ramblings than take this moment away from him.

"Is not this simpler?" Loki questioned, walking into the crowd in slow, purposeful strides. "Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation." He continued. "The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled." Loki spoke ― voice softer and coaxing ― knowing just the words to make them quiver. "In the end, you will always kneel."

An elderly man stood, face wrikled with age and hairline residing. His expression was hard, his lips pressed into a firm line and eyes set solely on Loki, void of fear. Eyebrows furrowing, Loki eyed him while tilting his head slightly.

"Not to men like you." The man spoke strongly, German accent thick in his voice.

Loki grinned, an amused and feral gesture, "There are no men like me." 

The man shook his head slowly, "There are always men like you." He replied firmly, fully believing in his words. Talia's lips curled, admiration shining brightly in her eyes. There was still hope for Earth.

"Is that so..." Loki hummed, his lips quirking. "Look to your elder, people." He called out, pointing his scepter at the man. "Let him be an example, that they who stand against me, soon fall." The God of Mischief continued, meeting the elder's gaze evenly. The stone in the scepter hummed with power, glowing brightly. 

The elderly man's hands shook and Talia curled her fingers around his arm, smiling softly. "Be not afraid." She murmured, catching Loki's eye as she moved to stand in front of the man.

In the next moment, a blur of red and blue fell at her feet. A shield meet the blast, making it bounce back at Loki― who fell to the ground, all grace gone in a single moment. Steve Rogers stood tall, dressed in colors of red and blue and silver, truly a sight to behold. Loki slowly rose and glared daggers at the man, livid.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany, and saw a man standing above everybody else," Steve began, striding through the crowd that slowly stood and gazed up at him in awe. "We ended up disagreeing."

"The soldier." Loki spoke, chuckling dryly as he used the scepter to help him stand. "The man out of time." He continued, smiling with too much teeth to be considered friendly.

"I'm not the one who's out of time." Steve retorted as the Quinjet came into view, pointing its weapons at the Asgardian. Talia hovered by, intrigued.

" _Loki, drop the weapon and stand down_." Natasha Romanoff's voice poured through the PA, loud and clear.

With the swift wave of the scepter, Loki sent a powerful blast directed at the Quinjet. The attack was narrowly avoided, the Captain and Loki breaking out in a clash of metal while people scrambled to safety. Talia directed them to the safest route, trails of gold curling by their feet while she kept a watchful eye on the dueling pair. 

Obnoxiously loud music suddenly blasted through the PA. Talia found herself brightening, eyes crinkling with her genuine smile as the one and only Iron Man dove in. A blast from the man sent Loki crashing into the steps, his face twisting in pain as the scepter fell to the ground.

The sudden whine of Tony's suit warming up again made her smile fall, suddenly very **_very_** uneasy. That was not supposed to happen― Tony was not supposed to shoot again. He was supposed to make some witty comment with one of his nicknames and capture Loki, _not openly attack._

She had to move.

In a fluid moment, she extended her hand and the scepter flew to her palm, the stone humming lowly. The next blast was nullified by the golden threads waving around Loki's body, curling around his limbs almost lovingly.

"That's quite enough gentlemen, thank you." Talia said with a smile, making her presence known as she strode forwards with the scepter.

Loki's astonished gaze landed on her and what she held, his eyes suddenly widening and resembling those of a fearful animal. Her fingers curled tighter around the scepter, her eyes darting to meet the wary gaze of Captain America.

Talia realized she must have looked like quite a sight, dressed as she was and holding such a powerful weapon as if it were a mere walking stick. She tilted her head in a bashful gesture, smile brighter.

"Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

_"What_ _gives him the right?! That lowly creature will never be one of us!_ _**Who gave him the right** _ _―"_

_"Silence! Be quiet, lest you wish to lose your tongue―"_

_"And what then?! Will you watch them die again and again, while you sit on your wretched throne?!"_

_"Yes, as should you."_

_"...I refuse."_

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Okay, who are you?" Tony automatically asked her, twirling on his heel to point his fingers at her, his eyebrows knitted together and gaze slightly accusing. "One of Fury's new secret agents? I haven't seen you before, can't find a file either―"

"Fury didn't tell me." Steve Rogers interjected, jaw set and eyes hard. Talia moved her eyes to him, crossing her legs.

Tony rolled his eyes, "Yeah, well, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you." He shot back, suddenly very serious. Both men stared at each other intensely, not unlike a predator about to lunge.

The brunette cleared her throat, casting a brief glance at the smirking god sitting across from her, "No, Mr. Stark, I'm not with Fury." She answered his previous question in a placid tone, no need to make the situation worse than it was.

Steve stared at her, tightening his hold on his shield― which he had refused to let go of when they boarded the Quinjet. "Who are you with then?" He asked tersely, awfully tense.

Talia smiled amiably, something she recently found herself doing often. "My name is Talia Grant. I'm not currently affiliated with anyone and I'd rather fully explain once we're all in the same room." She gestured to the Avengers present and the lack of.

"All of us?" Steve repeated. Thunder roared outside, lightning flashing threateningly. She nodded her head, curls bouncing and swaying.

"Where's this coming from?" Natasha ― who had chosen to stay silent until then ― asked in confusion, her eyebrows furrowing as the Quinjet shook with the powerful winds.

Loki anxiously leaned forwards in his seat, looking up at the ceiling with a nervous gaze. Steve noticed. "What's the matter? Are you scared of a little lightning?" Steve questioned, arching an eyebrow. 

The god met his eyes briefly, lacing his hands together. "I am not overly fond of what follows." Loki replied dryly, not at all amused by the Captain's taunting.

A thump sounded from above and Talia perked up, "That's four. We're missing two." She gathered her long skirts again, heels clicking as she moved to open the hatch.

"What are you doing?!" Steve called out over the rushing winds, watching as Tony powered up his suit.

A large figure landed on the open hatch. Thor stood, his red cape whipping around wildy, his mighty hammer in hand. Loki's expression twisted into genuine fear and he curled into himself, pressing back against the wall like a cornered animal. Tony's weapons whirred to life as Thor strode forwards, his gaze set on his brother. 

Talia whipped her hand out, stopping Tony as Thor ripped Loki's seatbelts to smithereens, hauling him up by his neck. Loki made a choked noise in the back of his throat, his hands coming up to hold Thor's thick wrist.

"Thor!" She called out and the first son of Odin turned to her, thunderstorm eyes wild.

"Another Asgardian?!" She vaguely heard Natasha ask.

A grin ― bright and cheerful and simply _Thor_ ― spread across his lips. "Lady Talia!" He boomed, absolutely elated to see her, eyes shining. He lowered Loki, but did not let go of his collar. "It is great to see you again!"

And just like that, the storm ceased.

The hatch closed behind him, Steve staring between them with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "You two... Know each other?"

Talia nodded, beaming back at the large god, "I helped him escape a hospital and he got run over by a car."

Tony let out a bark of laughter, both shocked and highly amused. His helmet had been removed, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners as he grinned. Talia counted it as a win.

"Thor, this is Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff." Talia continued, politely ignoring the looks of disbelief being directed at her. "They're part of the Avengers initiative, meant to save the world and what not. Want to join?"

Thor tilted his head, blue eyes suddenly playful as his grin became something fond, "Will you tell me your story then?" He asked.

Talia laughed― a genuine, happy sound that expressed emotions without boundaries. Her body thrummed with affection for these people, the ones so human and so unique. So great and _alive_.

"Yes." She answered then, elated. "Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> talia loves them a lot and so do i  
> comments are greatly appreciated :)


End file.
